CHIPPENHAM Town board members will meet tonight and are expected to rubber-stamp the appointment of Mark Collier as the new manager at Hardenhuish Park.

Collier and former Swindon Town midfielder Tom Jones, who is poised to join as his assistant, met with Bluebirds' chairman Neil Blackmore last night, with Blackmore now set to reccomend to the club's board that the 54 year old be offered the chance to succeed Steve Winter, who was axed last week.

Subject to agreement, Town hope to reveal Collier as their new manager later this evening.

Collier yesterday confirmed to the Gazette & Herald that he still wants the job.

The former Swindon Supermarine boss returned from a holiday in Egypt on Monday, the same country where Winter received news of his sacking as Bluebirds last week, and revealed that Chippenham got in contact with him about replacing their departed boss during his spell abroad.

“I left my phone at home whilst I was on holiday but my partner got texts to say that Chippenham had lost 9-0 and then the manager had been sacked – we then had a call from the club to talk about the job,” Collier told the Gazette & Herald.

“I’ve arrived back to an absolute crescendo but my interest in the job definitely hasn’t changed at all. I was disappointed not to get the nod the last time but I respected the chairman’s decision to show faith in Steve Winter.

“I don’t know if they’ve contacted anyone other than me but myself and Tom Jones, my assistant, are going to be meeting with the chairman in Chippenham tonight and hopefully we can push things one step further.”

If terms can be agreed for Collier to take over at Chippenham, the final decision would then go before a meeting of the Hardenhuish Park board on Wednesday, meaning the former Marine chief could be in charge in time for the Bluebirds’ Calor League Southern Premier Division home clash with third-placed Cambridge City on Saturday.

If confirmed, it will be third time lucky for Collier, who has expressed an interest in the Chippenham job on two previous occasions.

He held talks with the Chippenham hierarchy prior to Nathan Rudge’s appointment in early 2012 and was also interviewed before the job was handed to Winter in September.

The Bluebirds urgently need a boost after slipping to their fifth consecutive league defeat at Redditch United last night, where they lost 3-0.

Town, who had Blackmore and kit man Tony Godwin in the dugout last night, have shipped 23 goals in that spell and are fourth bottom of the table.

Collier would arrive with a good CV. His first spell in charge at Supermarine was from 2003 until 2010, where he guided the club up to the Southern Premier in 2006/07 thanks to a 2-0 play-off final win over Taunton.

In the 2008/09 season he oversaw Marine’s run to the third round of the FA Trophy, where they were defeated 2-0 at Ebbsfleet.

Having quit in May 2010, the 54 year old returned within a matter of months and took the South Marston side to the second round of the FA Cup where they lost 1-0 at Colchester - the club’s best ever run in the competition.

Former Swindon Town midfielder Tom Jones, Collier's assistant at Marine, would also join Chippenham if the appointment is confirmed.

Jones has also worked as an assistant coach of the Armenian national team and in South Korea.

FIRST NEWS OF THE BLUEBIRDS' MANAGERIAL ANNOUNCMENT AT GAZETTEANDHERALD.CO.UK/SPORT TONIGHT AND MORE NEWS IN TOMORROW'S GAZETTE & HERALD